Reaction mechanisms and diagnostic mineralogy of intertidal steel corrosion: An X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study

The products of intertidal and super tidal (splash zone) corrosion on steel piles have been characterised at 3 UK sites with contrasting environmental conditions in order to determine corrosion reaction mechanism and if a common mechanism for accelerated low water corrosion occurs across sites. Inte...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: M. Smith, B. Shibulal, H. Burgess, I. Cooper, N. Moles, A. Willows
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-03-01
Series:Corrosion Communications
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667266924000069
_version_ 1797214820228923392
author M. Smith
B. Shibulal
H. Burgess
I. Cooper
N. Moles
A. Willows
author_facet M. Smith
B. Shibulal
H. Burgess
I. Cooper
N. Moles
A. Willows
author_sort M. Smith
collection DOAJ
description The products of intertidal and super tidal (splash zone) corrosion on steel piles have been characterised at 3 UK sites with contrasting environmental conditions in order to determine corrosion reaction mechanism and if a common mechanism for accelerated low water corrosion occurs across sites. Intertidal corrosion samples at Shoreham and Newhaven ports show an internal composition of iron mono- and bi-sulphide, with intermediate sulphur oxidation state compounds, and an outer surface dominated by iron oxides and oxyhydroxides with a component of iron sulphates. The FTIR spectra are characteristic of sulphate green rust. In contrast, samples from Southend have all sulphur species below detection levels and are dominated by iron oxides and oxyhydroxides. Carbon binding energy spectra are consistent with the development of biofilms at all sites except for a splash zone sample at Southend. The results demonstrate a common mechanism for ALWC at Newhaven and Shoreham, involving the action of sulphate-reducing bacteria generating iron sulphides on the steel surface. These are subsequently oxidised to produce sulphate green rust, which may in turn oxidise to produce lepidocrocite. At Southend differences in environment are inferred to restrict the activity of sulphate reducing bacteria, resulting in direct oxidation of steel to generate iron oxyhydroxide gels, which subsequently recrystallise, dehydrate and oxidise to goethite, magnetite and ultimately hematite in both splash zone and intertidal samples. The multi-technique approach used here characterises the full range of corrosion products.
first_indexed 2024-04-24T11:20:15Z
format Article
id doaj.art-6068319857d449fb8790f62c4c8b8fa0
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2667-2669
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-24T11:20:15Z
publishDate 2024-03-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Corrosion Communications
spelling doaj.art-6068319857d449fb8790f62c4c8b8fa02024-04-11T04:42:10ZengElsevierCorrosion Communications2667-26692024-03-01136882Reaction mechanisms and diagnostic mineralogy of intertidal steel corrosion: An X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studyM. Smith0B. Shibulal1H. Burgess2I. Cooper3N. Moles4A. Willows5Corresponding author.; School of Applied Sciences, University of Brighton, Cockcroft Building, Lewes Road, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UKSchool of Applied Sciences, University of Brighton, Cockcroft Building, Lewes Road, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UKSchool of Applied Sciences, University of Brighton, Cockcroft Building, Lewes Road, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UKSchool of Applied Sciences, University of Brighton, Cockcroft Building, Lewes Road, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UKSchool of Applied Sciences, University of Brighton, Cockcroft Building, Lewes Road, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UKSchool of Applied Sciences, University of Brighton, Cockcroft Building, Lewes Road, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UKThe products of intertidal and super tidal (splash zone) corrosion on steel piles have been characterised at 3 UK sites with contrasting environmental conditions in order to determine corrosion reaction mechanism and if a common mechanism for accelerated low water corrosion occurs across sites. Intertidal corrosion samples at Shoreham and Newhaven ports show an internal composition of iron mono- and bi-sulphide, with intermediate sulphur oxidation state compounds, and an outer surface dominated by iron oxides and oxyhydroxides with a component of iron sulphates. The FTIR spectra are characteristic of sulphate green rust. In contrast, samples from Southend have all sulphur species below detection levels and are dominated by iron oxides and oxyhydroxides. Carbon binding energy spectra are consistent with the development of biofilms at all sites except for a splash zone sample at Southend. The results demonstrate a common mechanism for ALWC at Newhaven and Shoreham, involving the action of sulphate-reducing bacteria generating iron sulphides on the steel surface. These are subsequently oxidised to produce sulphate green rust, which may in turn oxidise to produce lepidocrocite. At Southend differences in environment are inferred to restrict the activity of sulphate reducing bacteria, resulting in direct oxidation of steel to generate iron oxyhydroxide gels, which subsequently recrystallise, dehydrate and oxidise to goethite, magnetite and ultimately hematite in both splash zone and intertidal samples. The multi-technique approach used here characterises the full range of corrosion products.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667266924000069Accelerated low water corrosion (ALWC)Microbially influenced corrosion (MIC)Green rustX-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)
spellingShingle M. Smith
B. Shibulal
H. Burgess
I. Cooper
N. Moles
A. Willows
Reaction mechanisms and diagnostic mineralogy of intertidal steel corrosion: An X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study
Corrosion Communications
Accelerated low water corrosion (ALWC)
Microbially influenced corrosion (MIC)
Green rust
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)
Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)
title Reaction mechanisms and diagnostic mineralogy of intertidal steel corrosion: An X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study
title_full Reaction mechanisms and diagnostic mineralogy of intertidal steel corrosion: An X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study
title_fullStr Reaction mechanisms and diagnostic mineralogy of intertidal steel corrosion: An X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study
title_full_unstemmed Reaction mechanisms and diagnostic mineralogy of intertidal steel corrosion: An X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study
title_short Reaction mechanisms and diagnostic mineralogy of intertidal steel corrosion: An X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study
title_sort reaction mechanisms and diagnostic mineralogy of intertidal steel corrosion an x ray photoelectron spectroscopy study
topic Accelerated low water corrosion (ALWC)
Microbially influenced corrosion (MIC)
Green rust
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)
Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667266924000069
work_keys_str_mv AT msmith reactionmechanismsanddiagnosticmineralogyofintertidalsteelcorrosionanxrayphotoelectronspectroscopystudy
AT bshibulal reactionmechanismsanddiagnosticmineralogyofintertidalsteelcorrosionanxrayphotoelectronspectroscopystudy
AT hburgess reactionmechanismsanddiagnosticmineralogyofintertidalsteelcorrosionanxrayphotoelectronspectroscopystudy
AT icooper reactionmechanismsanddiagnosticmineralogyofintertidalsteelcorrosionanxrayphotoelectronspectroscopystudy
AT nmoles reactionmechanismsanddiagnosticmineralogyofintertidalsteelcorrosionanxrayphotoelectronspectroscopystudy
AT awillows reactionmechanismsanddiagnosticmineralogyofintertidalsteelcorrosionanxrayphotoelectronspectroscopystudy